Jhevut-el
When explorers cracked open the first ruins of the Odys Riaud, one of the first things they took note of was cautionary tales of corpse-stealing monsters and imposters made of flora. These tales were typically dismissed as a race's first encounters with necromancy, which the Riaud supposedly did not practice. Within the last century, though, the Cordens system has had to confront an uncomfortable truth; the Jhevut-el are real, and not wholly what the Riaud claimed them to be. Etymology and Other Names Jhevut-el, as a name, does not seem to have any discernable etymological root among recognized languages in the Cordens system. The name, seemingly coined by a recluse named Sess, has yet to fully enter public lexicon. Often, races will refer to Jhevut-el with a translation of the Riaud's slurs for the race; "Green Plague" and "Crawling Death." Biology and Anatomy Unique among the known races of Cordens, Jhevut-el are a flora-based race, made of plantlife instead of metal or flesh. As such, they lack many internal systems that other races have, or appear to possess only crude approximations. Jhevut-el lack traditional cardiovascular systems, instead transferring nutrients and fluids through vascular tissues throughout their bodies. Similarly, they lack a true nervous system, though this does not affect an individual's ability to perceive the world as any other creature would. As no autopsy has ever been performed on a deceased Jhevut-el, the manner in which they can think, speak, and sense remains indeterminate. Lacking rigid structure, like the endo and exoskeletons of most Cordens races, Jhevut-el make use of the bodies of other races to give themselves form. Sturdy "skeleton" vines bind to the individual components of the body, while more flexible "muscle" vines connect the components together and enable motion. Sensory organs may have their places filled with flowers or blossoms, though this is not consistent across individuals. As Jhevut-el grow, they require larger and larger bodies to anchor themselves to. This is accomplished either by discarding their old "host" for a new, larger one, or by adding additional "hosts" to their form. Jhevut-el who choose to add new bodies to their own often tend to combine the forms of their "hosts," creating new bodyplans unlike any others in Cordens. Sociology and Culture Jhevut-el are a largely solitary race, forming no known communities of their own. Individual members of the species can spend their entire lives never meeting another of their own kind, casuing a certain unique difficulty in attempting to define the culture of the Jhevut-el. Some consider this solitary life to be a cultural hallmark in and of itself, though; one prevailing theory is that Jhevut-el, aware of the negative perception and press they receive, deliberately avoid contact with others of their kind in an effort to protect their race. Notably, be it by instinct or culture, Jhevut-el seem to gravitate towards anywhere many dead are interred, often paying respects when permitted to. As no substantiatable reports of graverobbing in these scenarios exist, some believe that it is an attempt to set other races at ease. Others suspect it is in reflection of the fact that Jhevut-el rely on the dead more than even The Caelex Empire, and wish to offer their thanks. Behavior Jhevut-el tend to speak slowly and haltingly when forced to deal with other races, as they often attempt to avoid sharing personal details of any sort, much less those about other Jhevut-el. Many Jhevut-el also struggle with pronouns, using "I" and "we" interchangably, or eschewing their use completely. Physically, Jhevut-el tend to minimize movement, standing as still as possible when not actively working on something. Naming Jhevut-el tend not to have individual names, having little need for them as nomadic, solitary beings. When forced into a situation where a name is necessary, they will often adopt either a short word or a monosyllabic sound as their "name." Racial Traits Though most Jhevut-el are at the age where their bodies are Medium, particularly young or old Jhevut-el may be Small '''or '''Large, respectively. Those with Jhevut-el characters may choose between +2 Strength and -2 Dexterity or +2 Dexterity and -2 Strength, as a host body may typically be either strong or flexible, but rarely both. Jhevut-el are considered Plants, but they do not have all features associated with Plant creatures (see "Necrobotanical Anatomy," below). As Loners By Necessity, Jhevute-el gain +2 Survival and +2 Handle Animal. From their Necrobotanical Anatomy, Jhevut-el gain +2 Natural AC and a limited Scent ability, functioning only for corpses, creatures under half health, Death Effects, and Necromantic magic. They are also immune to Poison, Sleep Effects, do not require sleep (but must still rest to recover spells and daily abilities), and are Vulnerable to Fire. When a Jhevut-el would require use of the Heal skill, they instead require use of Knowledge (Nature). Though they are capable of movement, speech, and thought, a Jhevut-el is still a plant. Once per day, they may Put Down Roots for 1d4+1 rounds while in contact with the ground. While Rooted, a Jhevut-el gains +2 to all saving throws, is immune to forced movement and tripping, and gains an additional bonus depending on where they have rooted themselves at the DM's discretion. A Rooted Jhevut-el reduces all movement speeds to 0, except for any Burrow speed they may have. Category:Fexalere Category:Fexalere Races